My client has fully assisted the police in their enquiries. He categorically denies the commission of or involvement in any criminal offence. Neither he nor I will be making any further public statement.

Former Legal Manager at News International Tom Crone said: "The CMS Select Committee has concluded that I gave misleading evidence in three specific areas. I do not accept this.

"In particular, the Committee finds that I misled it by giving a “counter-impression” on certain matters. In terms of judicial or formal rulings on evidence, “counter-impression” seems a particularly subjective concept upon which to base such serious allegations."

Former News International legal manager Tom Crone has denied he was involved in a cover-up over hacking at the News of the World.

Tom Crione also appeared at the Leveson inquiry Credit: Reuters

Rupert Murdoch has today told the Leveson inquiry he and senior executives were not informed, misinformed and "shielded" from what was going on as part of a cover-up.

Mr Crone says: "His (Murdoch's) assertion I 'took charge of a cover-up' in relation to phone-hacking is a shameful lie. The same applies to his assertions that I misinformed senior executives about what was going on and that I forbade people from reporting to Rebekah Brooks or to James Murdoch.

"It is perhaps no coincidence that the two people he has identified in relation to his cover-up allegations are the same two people who pointed out that his son's evidence to the Parliamentary Select Committee last year was inaccurate.

"The fact that Mr Murdoch's attack on Colin Myler and myself may have been personal as well as being wholly wrong greatly demeans him."